Creature Craft Whitewater Raft Uses Roll Bars To Prevent Capsizing

June 15, 2017

Whitewater rafting is fun. Once you start playing around on Class 4 or higher waves, however, things take on an entirely different turn. Simply put, it becomes a genuinely life-threatening endeavor. Creature Craft is a relatively new class of whitewater rafts designed to make your experience just a little safer.

A raft that will never capsize, it’s equipped with a patented roll cage design that allows the boat to sit on its side instead of turning over completely, allowing you to easily roll it into an upright position. According to the outfit, it can even be done with everyone staying seated on the boat – just have everybody shift their weight accordingly to force the raft to return to its desired orientation.

We know, you’re supposed to fall off anyway when a raft turns on its side. Well, the Creature Craft deftly avoids leaving you that same fate by coming with integrated straps that you can secure around your thighs, while a quick release system allows a paddler to get themselves on the water, in case the raft won’t turn without getting an outside nudge. They offer seven models of whitewater rafts, which come in varying sizes to accommodate your individual needs. Each one features rigid carry handles, self-bailing floors, convertible tops, and urethane coating, with optional passenger seat frames, expedition urethane wraps, and additional paddle seats.

6 Responses

I am leery f this. It seems the top rollbars are going to make the raft more top-heavy which seems like it would lead to more rollovers than a regular raft. I am also not a fan of the rollbar for aesthetics, it just doesn’t look like a whitewater raft to me. Won’t the top rollbars block your view of the gorgeous scenery.

On a positive side, if you got spun upside down in to huge rocks this seems like it would protect your more for that.

I have mixed feelings on this, but I have only been whitewater rafting a handful of times in my life so I would have to wait and see what the expert whitewater guide companies think.

The evolution of whitewater craft needs a huge step-forward. Is the Creature Craft Whitewater Raft with rollbars the answer? I don’t know, but I can’t see many expert rafters using this on class V rivers. The Creature Craft seems more suited towards casual and less dangerous rapids.

Creature Craft is getting a lot of hate over this design, some of it may be warranted, but a lot of it isn’t. Overall people tend to hate the way the raft looks and also are paranoid to strap into it. I would also be concerned to be strapped in, even with a quick release. The looks of it definitely is not my style, but I will reserve judgement on how it works until I get a chance to ride in one. It might change my mind about it and I would become a huge fan of this design. It may also just reinforce my preconceived notions about this whitewater craft. I will keep an open mind about the Creature Craft until I get a chance to actually experience it for myself.

At first glance the Creature Craft Whitewater Raft looks like one large happy meal toy to me, but this is actually pretty cool. It’s cool that there’s finally a way to remove some of the life threatening parts of whitewater rafting. I’ve never actually gone whitewater rafting before because it scares me so much and is so dangerous. With the Creature Craft Whitewater Raft I think I would think it over again and consider it. This raft will literally never capsize which is like half of what had scared me about whitewater rafting. This is crazy expensive just under five grand, but I think it’s something I would try to save up towards and have a bunch of friends that I know already go whitewater rafting to pitch in on.

As a boater of big whitewater it not only looks aweful, but seems a whole lot less safe. Strap yourself into a raft? Stupid idea. I would love to see one on the grand. I would bet the farm that they wouldn’t make it.

I actually clicked away from the page, and had to come back for this – spectacular design! I haven’t whitewater rafted in ages, but I’d sure like to have this thing on my side (no pun intended) if and when I gave it a shot again. I can’t recall which Class I did, I think 3? It’s definitely a safe and secure design, but man do those waves and breaks look scary in the photos! I’m surprised they didn’t include a total-closure material that can pop up and protect you from all sides if needed. It doesn’t seem like they did at least, but considering this thing cost almost $5K I am assuming this will be more so used by rafting tour companies, etc.